Aardman studios has produced some of the most-recognised animated characters of the past three decades, including Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. A new exhibit at ACMI brings their creative process to life.

Characters are designed to respond to specific concerns relative to time and context. But as we move deeper into the 21st century, what are those concerns, and how do they differ from those in the 20th century?

Living Data: Evolving Conversations. Exhibition and Forum at the University of Technology Sydney, 2014. Curators: Lisa Roberts and Anita Marosszeky.
Living DataFebruary 5, 2015

We hear so much about the integrity of scientific process and the role of data in driving action on climate change – but what role is there for artists in bringing about changes in understandings? Science…

The release of DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon 2 has once again brought into relief the fact that animated feature films now regularly attract a host of Hollywood stars and high-profile performers…

Norman McLaren working on Begone Dull Care, 1949.
National Film Board of CanadaJune 23, 2014

Animation is all around us – from Pixar to manga to animated gifs. As with any creative field, it has its unsung heroes – the innovators who have shaped and defined the art form. So it was a great delight…

Hollywood’s idea of family entertainment these days largely consists in a kind of reassuring condescension. On the one hand, it must persuade us that its “means of production” — the truly staggering resources…

Telling science stories often involves explaining complex interactions between a cast of molecular “actors”, on a set smaller than the wavelength of light, so scientists are increasingly using animation…

Character drawings are encoded with cues to help animators understand how the character should move.
Courtesy DreamWorks Animation SKGApril 3, 2014

When I first started working as an animator on the South Park (1999) feature film in California, I found it remarkable that every Tuesday evening the studio would hold life-drawing classes. It seemed odd…

Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki has long been considered by critics and fans alike as the epitome of animation, not only in Japan but across the world. With the release of his latest, and possibly…

Animated evidence is often used in court but is it reliable?
Gareth NorrisOctober 31, 2013

Recent cases involving the use of computer generated images as evidence in courtrooms have shown the powerful impact they can have on jury decision making. But studies show that jurors can be unduly influenced…

Improvements in technology have lead to a boom in animations, but not all are as effective as they could be.
Marin Takahama/ Ars ElectronicaMay 6, 2012

We increasingly use animation to inform, explain and instruct. It is used to present evidence in courtrooms, teach about scientific phenomena and provide dynamic assembly or operation manuals. But do animations…